Three Plays by Granville-Barker Part 51

_The Major has recovered from the shock, to swell with importance. It being necessary to make an impression he instinctively turns first to his wife._

BOOTH. I think, Emily, there was no need for you to have been present at this exposure, and that now you had better retire.

EMILY. Very well, Booth.

_She gets up to go, conscious of her misdemeanour. But as she reaches the door, an awful thought strikes the Major._

BOOTH. Good Heavens . . I hope the servants haven't been listening! See where they are, Emily . . and keep them away, distract them. Open the door suddenly; [_she does so, more or less, and there is no one behind it._] That's all right.

_Having watched his wife's departure, he turns with gravity to his brother._

BOOTH. I have said nothing as yet, Edward. I am thinking.

TRENCHARD. [_a little impatient at this exhibition._] That's the worst of these family practices . . a lot of money knocking around and no audit ever required. The wonder to me is to find an honest solicitor at all.

BOOTH. Really, Trenchard!

TRENCHARD. Well, the more able a man is the less the word Honesty bothers him . . and the Pater was an able man.

EDWARD. I thought that a year ago, Trenchard. I thought that at the worst he was a splendid criminal.

BOOTH. Really . . really, Edward!

EDWARD. And everything was to come right in the end . . we were all to be in reality as wealthy and as prosperous as we have seemed to be all these years. But when he fell ill . . towards the last he couldn't keep the facts from me any longer.

TRENCHARD. And those are?

EDWARD. Laughable. You wouldn't believe there were such fools in the world as some of these wretched clients have been. I tell you the firm's funds were just a lucky bag into which he dipped. Now sometimes their money doesn't even exist.

BOOTH. Where's it gone?

EDWARD. [_very directly._] You've been living on it.

BOOTH. Good G.o.d!

TRENCHARD. What can you pay in the pound?

EDWARD. Without help? . . six or seven s.h.i.+llings, I daresay. But we must do better than that.

_To which there is no response._

BOOTH. All this is very dreadful. Does it mean beggary for the whole family?

EDWARD. Yes, it should.

TRENCHARD. [_sharply._] Nonsense.

EDWARD. [_joining issue at once._] What right have we to a thing we possess?

TRENCHARD. He didn't make you an allowance, Booth . . your capital's your own, isn't it?

BOOTH. [_awkwardly placed between the two of them._] Really . . I--I suppose so.

TRENCHARD. Then that's all right.

EDWARD. [_vehemently._] It's stolen money.

TRENCHARD. Booth took it in good faith.

BOOTH. I should hope so.

EDWARD. [_dwelling on the words._] It's stolen money.

BOOTH. [_bubbling with distress._] I say, what ought I to do?

TRENCHARD. Do . . my dear Booth? Nothing.

EDWARD. [_with great indignation._] Trenchard, we owe reparation--

TRENCHARD. [_readily._] To whom? From which account was Booth's money taken?

EDWARD. [_side tracked for the moment._] I don't know . . I daresay from none directly.

TRENCHARD. Very well then!

EDWARD. [_grieved._] Trenchard, you argue as he did--

TRENCHARD. Nonsense, my dear Edward. The law will take anything it has a right to and all it can get; you needn't be afraid. There's no obligation, legal or moral, for us to throw our pounds into the wreck that they may become pence.

EDWARD. I can hear him.

TRENCHARD. But what about your own position . . can we get you clear?

EDWARD. That doesn't matter.

BOOTH'S _head has been turning incessantly from one to the other and by this he is just a bristle of alarm_.

BOOTH. But I say, you know, this is awful! Will this have to be made public?

TRENCHARD. No help for it.

_The Major's jaw drops; he is speechless._ MRS. VOYSEY'S _dead voice steals in_.

MRS. VOYSEY. What is all this?

TRENCHARD. Edward wishes us to completely beggar ourselves in order to pay back to every client to whom father owed a pound perhaps ten s.h.i.+llings instead of seven.

MRS. VOYSEY. He will find that my estate has been kept quite separate.